Bayer's women's football team has had a mixed season. They dropped to seventh place after strong starts.
Bayer's women's football team started well but now sits in seventh place after nine matches. They fell from third and are four points behind Werder Bremen, who hold the spot for international play.
The team had good and bad results. After a loss in Munich, Coach Roberto Pätzold's group went unbeaten in six league games with five wins and one draw. They beat Jena and HSV but lost ground lately, including a cup exit in Hamburg.
Bayer added four new players this summer, and they help a lot. Striker Vanessa Fudalla leads with eight goals. Young Valentina Mädl played all 14 league matches. Claudia Wenger is strong in defense. Carlotta Wamser, a new national player, missed time due to injury.
Injuries hurt the team. Wamser and top scorer Cornelia Kramer missed games. This kept Coach Pätzold from using his best attack line of Fudalla, Kramer, and Caroline Kehrer. They even used third goalkeeper Anne Moll.
New players helped Bayer play better. They find smart ways against hard teams and do well on counter-attacks. They still need to score more from chances.
Referee calls have been tough for the team. Players felt unfair treatment, like on penalties. This showed in the match against Bayern Munich.
This year is not as good as last. Bayer played two more matches but has nine points less than at this point before. No cup final this time, but they hope for international spots.
Bayer must start strong in the new year against teams they beat before. The four-point gap to Bremen can close if injuries drop. They need to avoid errors with tight race behind top teams.
Average crowd at Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion is 1,180, 13th in the league. They played big home games against Munich and Wolfsburg. More fans are expected for the derby against Cologne on Carnival Friday, February 13.
